Consumer Recalls

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Cooper Lighting Inc., of Peachtree City, Ga., is warning consumers that nearly 600,000 Regent 500-watt halogen bulbs may pose a fire hazard if used in torchiere floor lamps or other indoor residential fixtures. These 500-watt light bulbs generate very high temperatures compared to incandescent and lower wattage halogen bulbs and can start a fire if they come in contact with curtains, clothes or other flammable material. These bulbs are intended for use in outdoor work lights and flood lamps.

While Cooper has not received any reports of fires or injuries, the CPSC is aware of at least 290 fires and 25 deaths since 1992 involving halogen torchiere floor lamps.

Current packaging for the Regent 500-Watt Halogen Bulb, with model numbers WM500Q and BP500Q, does not contain the recommended warning label of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The label should read, "Warning: Fire Hazard! Do Not Use In Torchieres Or Other Indoor Residential Fixtures." Cooper has asked retailers to add the label to bulb packaging currently on store shelves and new 500-watt halogen bulbs will contain the label.

Wal-Mart, Lowes and smaller retail outlets nationwide sold these 500-watt halogen bulbs between January 1999 and October 2002 for about $4.

Consumers currently using these 500-watt bulbs in a torchiere or indoor residential fixture should remove them immediately. Consumers can continue to use the 500-watt halogen bulbs in work lights, flood lamps, and similar outdoor fixtures. For more information, consumers can contact Cooper Lighting at (800) 954-7145 anytime or log on to the company's Web site at www.cooperlighting.com.

To meet the current Underwriters Laboratories standard, halogen torchiere floor lamps must be equipped with a protective glass or wire guard and have a halogen bulb that is 300 watts or less.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Zenith Electronics Corp., of Lincolnshire, Ill., is voluntarily recalling to repair about 80,000 large-screen, analog projection televisions manufactured between 1995 and 1998. This recall is an expansion of a 1998 recall program involving 111,000 projection television sets. A tear in a gasket can cause coolant fluid to leak from the picture tube assembly. This can cause smoking, charring, and electrical arcing inside of the television, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Since 1998, Zenith has received 45 reports of incidents involving coolant leakage, causing smoking or charring with the televisions, including four cases where minor property damage occurred outside of the unit. No injuries have been reported.

The projection televisions recalled in this expansion and the earlier program have 46-60 inch screens and were manufactured from April 1995 through July 1997, and August 1998 through November 1998. The date of manufacture can be found on the white label on the back of the set. These televisions were manufactured in Mexico. Projection televisions manufactured after 1998 are not included in this recall.

Major appliance and department stores nationwide sold these televisions from about April 1995 through April 1999 for between $1,200 and $2,800.

Consumers who have one of these televisions should immediately contact Zenith at (800) 777-5195 anytime to arrange for a free inspection and repair. Consumers also can visit the company's dedicated Web site at www.projorecall.com.

In cooperation with CPSC, Zenith conducted a recall beginning in 1998, in which they notified owners of the television sets covered by the program, which resulted in 61,000 units being repaired. This notice is intended for consumers who did not participate in the first program or have one of the 80,000 televisions being added to the 1998 program.

Online Public Information File

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